Scandalous Miss Brightwells [Book 1-4]

“Yes, I overheard that remark, too,” said Jack. “But did you notice how happy it made George when Miss Burnside said that?”

Diana nodded thoughtfully, prompting Katherine to go on, “And didn’t it give you a nice feeling to see George happy? A much nicer feeling than if he’d looked all sad if you’d told him his side curls looked silly?”

Diana contemplated this with a frown. “It would have been funny to make George cross but…” She looked from her parents down the hill to where George was sitting next to Miss Burnside, the daughter of one of Aunt Antoinette’s gentleman friends, a widower who’d started calling on the pretext of writing a history of several notable houses in the area. He and his daughter had become regular visitors. “Uncle George is much nicer when he’s not cross.”

“Exactly, darling,” Katherine said approvingly. “Uncle George is very nice when people are nice to him. And that’s the way it is with most people. So try not to tease and make fun of Uncle George.”

Diana nodded gravely. “I’ll try not to, Mama. Papa.” The promise seemed to have unleashed the gaiety within her for now she was running down the hill while Jack and Katherine followed at a more sedate pace.

“She reminds me so much of you, when you were her age.” Jack slipped an arm about his lovely wife’s waist and stopped so that he could enjoy the smile she sent him. For Katherine always smiled when she looked at him. The great joy at rediscovering all that had been lost for those long years apart was as strongly felt by her as it was by him, he knew.

“She was my treasure when I didn’t have you.” Her look was so loving it caused him something akin to pain.

“But now you have me for always. And we have Diana.”

“And as many others as we choose, thanks to a little knowledge that most married couples are denied.”

Raising his eyebrows and smiling, Jack looked from Katherine to her aunt a few yards away. Lady Quamby was waving the cake knife in the air, waiting for Katherine and Jack to fill the two remaining seats for they were all there with the notable exception of Lady Hale who’d declared she’d never again set foot over the threshold of Quamby House where she’d been so insulted. She’d been true to her word, showing as little interest in her supposed granddaughter after Katherine had married Jack, as she ever had done before her surprise meddling when she’d desired a match between Katherine and Lord Derry.

The biggest surprise was that her thwarted desires in the matchmaking department appeared to have found a new outlet: Odette Worthington. Jack supposed there were mutual benefits. Odette was an heiress in need of a husband and Lady Hale had contacts. Jack didn’t miss Odette and was surprised, and impressed, by the dignified manner in which she’d dealt with their separation. Perhaps she’d not loved him as much as he’d supposed. Or perhaps her aspirations had changed. A husband with a title was well within her reach and Jack had discovered Odette was more ambitious than he’d at first thought.

Derry had shown a surprisingly sporting attitude, too. His concern for Katherine after her accident had been sincere but he’d housed Jack and allowed him complete licence to be at the bedside of the convalescing Katherine.

Jack supposed it must have been as clear to him as to everyone else how deeply Jack and Katherine felt for one another. Not a single person had stepped in to voice any objection or to denounce them when their love was so apparent after Odette had broken off their engagement.

For a week Jack had remained at Derry House. While he read to Katherine, and talked with her, Derry had organised the practicalities. He’d seen to the medical care of Katherine’s mount, Stargazer, who had fortunately not had to be put down and had now made a full recovery. In fact, Katherine rode him regularly, during the early morning canters she and Jack enjoyed so much. Derry had also offered Odette hospitality and sympathy following the dissolution of the young woman’s engagement. A year later, the pair was occasionally to be seen on the dance floor. They seemed to have become good friends.

Jack scanned the table of guests. Surprisingly, Lord Quamby was stroking his wife’s hand as he discussed some matter with her, his curls as vermilion as ever. Instead of Lady Hale, Diana’s real, though unacknowledged grandmother was there to enjoy the celebration. Jack was conscious of a great warmth and sense of gratitude as he caught his mother’s quick smile when she transferred her look from Rufus Patmore beside her, the man who had been so much more to Jack than most fathers. Meanwhile, Katherine’s own parents Lord and Lady Fenton had their heads together in private conversation while George and Miss Burnside looked hopeful and happy in the midst of their own discussion.

“Knowledge is golden if one knows what to do with it,” Jack remarked, thinking of all the knowledge he—and Katherine—has misused before they’d found their wonderful happiness together.

They reached the table as Diana unfolded her napkin and said in clear earnest tones to George, “I know Mama says it’s impolite to bring up your side curls, Uncle George, but I’ve been considering the matter all afternoon and I think I agree with Miss Burnside. You do cut quite a dash with your new hair cut.”

Jack had felt Katherine tense when their daughter had begun her little speech but she relaxed as Diana offered her verdict. He and Katherine exchanged a smile, their amusement increasing when they were rewarded by the play of interesting emotions across Diana’s face as she took in her Uncle George’s fiery blush, his stammered thanks, and then the great pleasure in his expression as he self consciously touched his hair before resuming his conversation with Miss Burnside with even greater enthusiasm.

Diana ignored the glass of lemonade that had just been put in front of her and sent her parents a sign of acknowledgement in the form of a clumsily executed wink that she’d heeded Katherine’s earlier advice. Then, with a quick, satisfied glance at Uncle George and Miss Burnside, she announced loudly and imperiously to the gathering at large, “I think we’re all very happy now, Aunt Antoinette. Would you please cut the cake?”

“I’m certainly very happy, my darling.” Jack put his lips to Katherine’s ear as he pulled out her chair for her and helped her into it. “Isn’t our daughter a treasure? She’s just like her mother.”

For a moment, Katherine retained his hand as she tilted her head to look at him. So much was communicated by the intensity of the gesture and in her look and for a moment Jack was almost glad that their separation had given him an excuse for throwing his all into this journey of rediscovering everything he’d missed out on.

“I think Diana has inherited the best of both of us,” his beautiful, much-loved wife whispered.

A whispered secret that was one of the most wonderful that had ever been revealed to him.

THE END